Property sales cold calls now hot complaint

Housing rents in Dubai likely to face pressure with a flood of new supply coming to the market. (Shutterstock)

By

Parag Deulgaonkar

PublishedSunday, April 05, 2015

“A new project launch in Dubai, great payment plan, no commission, no need to stand in queue.”

These messages are now being conveyed, either through phone calls or messages by real estate brokers trying to entice buyers.

“It is the best way to reach customers and inform them of new launches and various payment options, so they can become property owners rather than renters,” says a senior official of a local brokerage firm, on condition of anonymity.

“We are only calling and sending emails or SMSes to people who have registered with us. You don’t know if someone may decide to buy, but if they tell us not to call, we stop calling,” he asserts.

Officials from other real estate brokerage firms admitted they do resort to cold calling, but emphasise they only call registered customers.

However, if you are getting bombarded with unsolicited calls or SMSes, you can file a complaint with Dubai’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera), which had previously warned property agents not to cold call or send telemarketing SMS messages to unregistered customers.

“I get a number of calls from real estate brokers and despite telling them I don’t wish to buy, I still get calls from their office.

“I can say no to them over the phone, block their emails, but now I am getting many SMSs on new launches,” Suhasna M, who works as manager in an oil company, told 'Emirates 24|7'.

“I don’t know how but it seems they have got hold of some database that has my number and email ID. I am not planning to buy any property.”

S Alexander, a Bulgarian working in Dubai, echoes the same view.

“I do get at least seven to eight calls in a week from real estate brokers. I have asked many not to call me, but they have their colleagues calling. Since I don’t have time to complain to Rera, I just let it go.”

This website reported earlier that Rera has been encouraging people to register complaints against real estate agencies making cold calls.

“A new regulatory article has been introduced by us that covers telemarketing.

“We encourage anyone who has a complaint in this regard to contact us and request to speak with the Inspection Department,” Yousif Al Hashimi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Rera, has said.

The article also stated real estate brokers are not allowed to make either telemarketing phone calls or send telemarketing messages to property owners who have not registered their properties for sale or rent in the real estate offices using the official templates.